Petunia-calibrachoa hybrid plant named &#39;SAKPXC014&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Petunia - Calibrachoa  hybrid plant particularly distinguished by having purple flower color and a spreading plant habit, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Petunia-Calibrachoa intergeneric hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘SAKPXC014’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Petunia-Calibrachoa (Petchoa) referred to by the variety name ‘SAKPXC014’. Variety ‘SAKPXC014’ originated as a plant mutation from the parent plant ‘Kakegawa S89’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,130), also commercially known as SUPERCAL ‘Neon Rose’ in a greenhouse in Kakegawa, Japan in May 2009. The new line was given the experimental name ‘K2010-J-122’.

In July 2009, ‘K2010-J-122’ was first propagated and cultivated in Kakegawa, Japan. In November 2009, ‘K2010-J-122’ was observed to have its distinct characteristics remain stable. In December 2009, ‘K20104-122’ was propagated again and plants were cultivated. In April 2010, ‘K2010-J-122’ was confirmed that the distinct characteristics of the plant were fixed and stable. The plant was later named ‘SAKPXC014’ and was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings in Salinas, Calif.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

1. Purple flower color; and

2. A spreading plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Petunia-Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a 6 month old plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in spring 2014. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the foliage and flower.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKPXC014’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on six month old plants grown under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in spring 2014. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition. Anatomic labels are from The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C. King, Cambridge University.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.         -   Botanical.—Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid.         -   Common.—Petchoa, petunia-calibrachoa.         -   Designation.—‘SAKPXC014’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Mutation parent.—‘Kakegawa S89’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.             19,130). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—6 weeks.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—10 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.             The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a             1:9 solution of DIP ‘N GROW (1 solution: 9 water), a root             inducing solution, immediately prior to sticking into the             cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays             having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based             growing medium. For the first week, the cuttings were misted             with water from overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes             until sufficient roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were             transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a             glass greenhouse located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a             peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble fertilizer             containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium             was applied once a day or every other day by overhead             irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release             fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18%             potassium. The typical average air temperature was 24° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Spreading.         -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—24.0 cm.         -   Spread.—90.0 cm.         -   Form.—Decumbant, branching. -   Stems:     -   -   General.—Dull in appearance and circular in cross-section.         -   Stem length.—26.0 cm in length from end to end; 0.5 cm from             soil line to first node.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Internode length.—3.0 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 143A (Green) with some anthocyanin, RHS N187A             (Greyed-Purple).         -   Pubescence.—Moderate, color is RHS N155A (White). -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.         -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Very slight; pubescence             is RHS N155A (White).         -   Length.—4.0 cm.         -   Width.—1.5 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A (Green) Lower surface: RHS             137C (Green).         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Petiole.—Absent. -   Flowers:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.         -   Flower type.—Solitary.         -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as day length is             greater than 12 hours and temperature exceeds 13° C.         -   Duration of flowers.—5 days.         -   Shape.—The flowers are funnel shaped with five fissures and             a shallow, yet prominent, indentation of the petal tip at             the midvein.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Length.—2.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Color.—RHS IC (Green-Yellow) with RHS N77A (Purple) veins             and RHS N77D (Purple) at the tip. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—2.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 143A (Green).         -   Texture.—Dull, slight pubescence, pubescence color is RHS             N155A (White). -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower depth.—0.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—4.5 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—2.0 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—0.6 cm. -   Calyx:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 sepals, fused below the middle.         -   Sepals.—Shape: Elliptic Apex: Obtuse Margin: Entire Length:             2.5 cm Diameter: 5.0 mm Color: RHS 137A (Green) on the upper             surface and RHS 137C (Green) on the lower surface. -   Corolla:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 petals, fused.         -   Petal.—Shape: Funnel-shaped with 5 fissures and a shallow,             yet slight, indentation of the petal tip at the mid-vein             Apex: Truncate Margin: Entire Base: Fused Pubescence (both             surfaces): Glabrous Length: 3.0 cm Width: 2.0 cm Color:             Upper surface: RHS N78C (Purple) and RHS 69C (Red-Purple)             with RHS N163 (Greyed-Orange) veins Lower surface: RHS 69C             (Red-Purple) with RHS 151C (Yellow-Green) veins.         -   Corolla tube color.—Inner: RHS 12A (Yellow) with RHS N77A             (Purple) veins Outer: RHS 8A (Yellow) with RHS N77A (Purple)             and RHS 151C (Yellow-Green) veins. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen number.—5, free.         -   Stamen length.—1.0 cm.         -   Anther color.—2A (Yellow).         -   Stamen color.—RHS 145D (Yellow-Green).         -   Filament color.—RHS 1D (Yellow).         -   Pollen color.—RHS 2A (Yellow).         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Ovary.—Superior.         -   Placenta arrangement.—Central.         -   Pistil number.—1 per inflorescence.         -   Pistil length.—1.4 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 145A (Yellow-Green).         -   Style length.—1.3 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 145A (Yellow-Green). -   Seed production: None observed -   Environmental conditions, disease and insect resistance: Excellent     resistance to rain, heat and drought. Will not tolerate temperatures     below 10° C. Plants are susceptible to Botrytis, powdery mildew,     various stem and root rots, and certain viruses, like Tobacco Mosaic     Virus and Impatiens Necrotic Spotted Virus. Plants can be infested     with aphids, leafminer, whitefly and various Lepitopdera.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINE AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKPXC014’ is distinguished from its mutation parent mainly as shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Mutation Parent Characteristic ‘SAKPXC014’ ‘Kakegawa S89’ Petal color, RHS N78C (Purple) and RHS N66A (Purple) with upper surface RHS 69C (Red-Purple) RHS 64A (Red-Purple) with RHS N163 (Greyed- veins Orange) veins Petal color, RHS 69C (Red-Purple) RHS N66C (Red-Purple) lower surface with RHS 151C (Yellow- with RHS 142A (Green) Green) veins veins

‘SAKPXC014’ can be compared to the Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid plant ‘SAKPXC009’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,372) as shown in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘SAKPXC014’ ‘SAKPXC009’ Petal color, RHS N78C (Purple) and RHS Closest to RHS N74A upper surface 69C (Red-Purple) with RHS (Red-Purple) N163 (Greyed-Orange) veins Petal color, RHS 69C (Red-Purple) with Closest to RHS 76D (Purple) lower surface RHS 151C (Yellow-Green) with sprays of RHS N74C veins (Red-Purple) and RHS 59A (Red-Purple) veins 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid plant as shown and described herein. 